A/N: Pretty long chapter here -- and to think, I originally thought there'd only be one Underdark chapter because I had no idea what to write about in advance... There will be another one still to come -- somehow the words just flow merrily, so I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone still reading, andgive e-cookies to those still reviewingand messaging. To know so many people are still reading and enjoying is good (if somewhat unexpected since I tend to ramble on... much like this ;) )
General disclaimer: I own nothing, even Maiyn generally decides her own path.
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House Despana
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Their suite in the Ust Natha tavern was comfortable, Maiyn had to admit; there was plenty of room, with large luxurious rooms set aside for the women and one twin room for Kivan and Xan to share. Instead, however, Maiyn and Kivan had half carried, half dragged Xan into the largest of the rooms, laying him out on the bed while Jaheira quickly checked over his wounds. There were several deep incisions across his chest and arms, some lighter gashes on his legs and back, and more than a few bite marks around his neck and shoulders. Maiyn had looked aghast by the sight and on Jaheira's request, Kivan silently pulled the girl from the room to allow the druid to perform the initial healing, before slipping out to purchase another set of robes suitable for him to wear the following day.
"Why didn't you stop him from going?" she asked accusingly when he'd returned. She was pacing around their sitting room while they sat on the velvety soft seats that faced the faint, magical glow coming from the large symbol of Lolth that hung on the wall. Maiyn seemed to be determinedly ignoring it and its eight legs.
"We didn't have much choice," protested Sime. "Jaheira tried to make an excuse-"
"Make an excuse?" Maiyn spun round to face them both, glaring darkly. Kivan glared back just as hard at her, but Sime was looking down at the ground, one of her feet swirling round in small circles.
"Maiyn." Kivan's voice was firm. "No matter how ill-informed you were of the dark ones before we came here, you have surely learned much in the short time we've been in their company."
She sighed, nodding her head dejectedly and throwing herself down on the nearest vacant seat.
"Xan was chosen to accompany a powerful cleric of the prime house of the city," continued Kivan, slightly more gently. "There was no way of avoiding it, unless someone else of a similar or higher ranking station had interjected. None of us fall into that category."
"What have they done to him," whispered Maiyn forlornly.
"He's alive," Kivan reminded her. "For that alone, he is very lucky."
The door to the bedroom opened and Jaheira walked through, her face grim. Maiyn leapt to her feet, throwing a concerned look to the half-elf, then tried to peer behind her to see what was happening in the room beyond. Jaheira waved at her to go on through.
"I have done what I can," the druid said wearily, "but you may still need to channel what you can to help him recover fully. Do not stay awake with him too long -- you need your rest too, and we will be retiring to our own rooms soon enough. We have a hard day tomorrow as it is, without having anyone being sleep deprived."
Maiyn padded through to the chamber, someone closing the door behind her. She didn't look back to see who, but kept walking slowly towards the apparently sleeping form of Xan, lying atop of the silky sheets of the bed. He looked so peaceful -- Jaheira had managed to soothe the worst of the wounds and the enchanter's own healing process had been greatly accelerated by her careful ministrations. Several minutes passed before Maiyn could do anything but look down at him; his torn robes had been removed and he was covered only with a soft looking blanket at his waist.
With a deep breath she moved closer, kneeling at the side of the low-lying bed and carefully putting her hands out to rest on the elf's abdomen. She could see and feel his chest rising as he breathed, and she closed her eyes, gently murmuring the words that allowed her to channel her healing from Fenmarel. Initially, to her dismay, nothing happened -- she only received a limited amount of curative power from her worship, but she had not used much that day, and was sure she had some blessings left to receive. She frowned slightly, her words becoming more and more insistent. Then everything went strange.
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"Where am I?" Maiyn found it hard to do anything but stand absolutely still and stare at the shape before her. A stream trickled to her side, but the rest of her surroundings seemed hazy -- almost foggy. Even the figure seemed to be ghostly.
"I called you here," it said simply. "You must listen."
"Who are you?" She was staring at it suspiciously, her eyes narrowed with distrust. It did nothing except look amused.
"I am the spirit you saw once before, atop the hill beside the flowers."
"The figure in the dream? The dream I had when-"
"When He accepted you."
Maiyn's eyes widened and she swallowed hard. "Why am I here now?" she asked, almost fearfully.
"He is concerned." The figure spoke in a low voice, no emotion betraying its level tone. "The situation you find yourself in with your allies grows more serious by the hour, but the true scope of disruption and chaos that stands to be unleashed is still a mystery to most. You must beware."
"I was aware of that," Maiyn muttered.
"No, you are not," it insisted. "You show some sense -- some concern about the danger you are in, at least. But it is not enough."
"What am I meant to do?" she asked helplessly. "Nothing you're saying means much -- I already know the perils we're about to face."
The apparition shook its head, seemingly sadly. "There is more to the world that the direct matters affecting you," it eventually said. "Look at the larger picture -- although it will pose a great risk, it may be your only hope when the time comes."
"What? What do you mean?" Maiyn asked, but it was too late. The vision faded, the stream stopped flowing. Everything went black.
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"Maiyn..." She raised her head abruptly, momentarily forgetting where she'd been prior to the the visitation from Fenmarel's avatar. Xan's voice was weak and croaky, and she sat up, her eyes searching over his face for signs of distress. His own eyes were still closed, but his hands had moved from his side, covering her own as they lay on his chest. She delicately freed one, using it to wipe away a few strands of his hair from his face.
"I'm here," she murmured. "Are you awake? Would you like some water?"
His eyelids flickered a few times before opening fully, a pained expression shining out. Maiyn's brow furrowed in sorrow to see him in such a state, and she drew away from him only long enough to fill one of the glasses with water, returning to help him prop his head up enough to take a few sips. It seemed to refresh him slightly, and he smiled to her gratefully.
"Xan..." she whispered hoarsely. "What... what happened?"
He shook his head, closing his eyes at her question. "Not... not now," he managed. "This... is not the time."
She nodded slightly, quickly wiping at the renegade tear that had escaped and was rolling down her cheek before the enchanter could notice. Then she busied herself with loosening the tucked in blankets from around him, helping him to roll around until they were free. Carefully she covered him with layers of the thin quilts while he silently allowed her, not a single protest uttered. She was pleasantly surprised that he showed no resistance, and when she was done she perched at the edge of the bed, taking his hand back in hers. His eyes opened again.
"Are you comfortable enough?" she asked. "Can I get you anything?"
He shook his head. "I am fine, thank you -- I just... need rest."
Maiyn nodded, gently raising his hand to her lips to give it a soft kiss, then returning it to his side, standing from her seat. "Good night," she said quietly to him, preparing to leave.
"Wait... please." She paused, turning back to him. "Stay with me."
Silently she removed her armour, leaving her clothing on as she clambered onto the vacant side of the large bed, carefully curling up next to him and allowing her hand to settle in his. Before long she could hear his rhythmical breathing signalling his slumber, but she felt no weariness. The inner conflict inside her was raging on, as part of her consciousness went over the vision's words again and again.
The other part was loudly clamouring for the woman who did this to Xan to pay.
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Sime found she was the first person awake the following morning -- well, she assumed it was morning. There was a strange decoration in their communal sitting area that seemed to change light as time passed -- it had been fairly dull when she'd gone to bed, but was now a warm orangey glow with her infravision sight. The sight was something she'd had to get used to pretty quickly, though thankfully her profession called for this requirement fairly often, so it wasn't a huge problem.
She settled herself down on one of the seats -- more comfortable, even, than the chairs in Aran's room back at her guildhall. She allowed herself only a few moments of reminiscence about her colleagues... her home. She missed some of them, sure -- especially Linvail. Her boss, her friend -- trust was not a commodity that was casually thrown about in the Shadow Thieves -- it was earned, just like respect. Aran had won both from her very early on; but then, he'd gone up the ranks under the careful guidance of her father, who had been only a few years his senior. When he'd died, Aran had been the only thing resembling family that she was left with, and he'd looked out for her. She owed it to him to get through this, and return to help him with the long process of rebuilding the organisation.
And to get through this, they needed to do well that day. If all went to plan -- if Tymora was looking down upon them favourably, and Mask's hand was ready to guide her own, then there was no reason why they shouldn't be escaping from the city in a matter of hours. None of them knew what to expect when they arrived at the Despana estate, but they'd stick together, work together -- as long as they were a team, everything would be fine.
Except, they couldn't stay as a team. If she managed to get the real eggs, and switch them with the fake ones... if that went without a hitch... if they needed a way to get out, a way to ensure there was enough distraction to allow them to flee... then one of them may have to be the making of that. Maiyn certainly couldn't stay behind alone, and the enchanter was far too weak to do anything by himself. The ranger and the druid would refuse to leave Maiyn's side... so it would come down to Sime -- not only because of her lack of ties, but because it would be a natural role for her.
She didn't want to consider the possibility of it being her final role.
Almost an hour later, Jaheira and Kivan joined her, coming from separate rooms and wishing her a good morning. The druid looked over to the room with the enchanter with some worry, but the ranger shook his head silently at her. They both sat down, continuing the silence as each wandered back into their own worries and thoughts. It wasn't long before the door swung open and Xan shuffled through, Maiyn closely following him but offering no support. Sime was relieved to see he looked better -- the healing and rest had done him a world of good, but he still looked weak. He carefully avoided all eye contact, shambling close to a seat to sit back down while Maiyn watched him.
"How are you feeling?" asked Jaheira.
Xan sighed. "Better, thank you," he said. "But I think we have more important things to worry about for now."
The druid nodded her agreement and looked over to Sime. The young thief took a deep breath.
"I've been doing more thinking," she said solemnly, aware that the attention of her companions was now fully on her. "I have not been able to come up with an alternative plan, and really, until we see what we're facing, we won't know what we can do."
Jaheira sighed. "I agree, though it troubles me to walk blindly into this."
"We have no alternative," Kivan pointed out. "We can stay wary, however, and stay together as much as is possible. Let us avoid being split up unless it is our own decision."
The others nodded their agreement, then Maiyn spoke hesitantly.
"Last night... when I was praying for healing, I had... a dream, I think."
The druid raised an eyebrow. "A dream?"
Maiyn shrugged helplessly. "I can only assume it was, though I don't think I was asleep."
"What happened?" asked Sime curiously.
Maiyn's brow furrowed. "There was a ghost... like the one I told you about before," she said to Jaheira. The half-elf nodded. "I think it was extending a warning."
"A warning?" asked Jaheira sharply.
"It said we didn't fully know the chaos that was about to be unleashed, and that there were other matters that didn't directly deal with us, or something. It said we needed to look at the larger picture and be prepared to take a risk, I think."
The others exchanged glances of puzzlement. Sime frowned too, trying to decipher the meaning. "It didn't say anything else?" she asked.
Maiyn shook her head. "It faded quickly, before I could ask what it meant."
"Perhaps it was a warning about other drow activity," ventured Xan.
"Perhaps," nodded Jaheira slowly. "But whatever it meant, we will either find out, or not. We do not have the time to think about this -- let us just take it as a message for us to be extra cautious."
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The cavern housing the estates of Ust Natha was huge, Sime noticed. Their previous travels in the city had involved walkways and tunnels, but now, in the heart of the settlement, they'd come into a vast open space, the roof of the cave too high for the young human to even manage to see in the cloaking darkness. Tall pillars of rock dotted around the landscape, each having been tunnelled into and made into a home; each estate holding a veritable amount of land around it, with massive fences covered in magical defences surrounding them, and occasional guards on patrol in their grounds. It was an unwelcoming sight.
A guide had been waiting for them in the common room of the inn as they passed through, and so they confidently strode down the dark, winding paths towards one of the larger abodes. The stone seemed to have been wrought to provide several floors to the dwelling, from what they could make out as they stood beside the large, onyx gates; their guide whispering in hushed tones to one of the drow soldiers that had come to meet them. Eventually the female drow nodded, the gates were opened and the group filed in, following the lead up towards the building.
They were shown into a large hall, where several white-haired guards marched past, their red eyes regarding the newcomers with coldness and vague hostility. The female slipped off to fetch Phaere, leaving them standing, close together, in their alien surroundings. Sime stayed silent with the rest of them -- she knew that in a place such as this, the walls very often did have ears, and no conversation was to be exchanged unless needed. It was a blessing that none was, in actuality -- Phaere appeared within seconds, beckoning them quietly into a side room where she closed the door softly behind them.
"You have come," she said, a small smile adorning her face as she looked at Maiyn expectantly. The ranger automatically pulled Solaufein's cloak out from under her own, and handed it over.
"Ah, I see you have his piwafwi, my darling Veldrin," she purred, taking it into her own grasp. Sime noticed a small change coming over her -- her assuredness seemed to dwindle, her eyes flashed with remorse. " He... Solaufein is dead, yes? Yes... of course, he... he is dead." As soon as they had come, the signs disappeared, and the Shadow Thief found herself looking back at a powerful and determined drow female once again. You have done well, Veldrin... you have earned a place of honour in this House by serving me well. This shall not stop, naturally."
Maiyn bowed her head respectfully, causing Phaere's delighted smile to grow. "You shall meet the Matron Mother of the House soon enough, but first... I wished to have words with you alone."
Maiyn shot a fearful look to Jaheira, which the drow seemed to catch. It caused her to chuckle briefly.
"Don't look so worried," she said, slightly scornfully. "The room we are in was imbued with enchantments not long ago -- it is the safest place in the building for what I am about to discuss with you, so pay attention. I have a plan... a plan that will place me as the head of House Despana even as we take our place as the rightful ruling House of Ust Natha. My plan includes you and your companions... without your timely arrival here none of this would have been possible. Do as I say and your rewards will be unimaginable."
Maiyn nodded, her eyes now fixed to the drow's. Sime watched in fascination -- she knew Maiyn had little experience with her dark kin, but the rate at which she'd learned -- which they'd all learned -- was remarkable. The thief put it down to the stress -- there was no room for any of them to make a mistake, which is why Minsc had been escorted to Adalon's.
"Of course," continued Phaere quietly, "you can refuse, and... well, why would you refuse? You have everything to gain, Veldrin. Everything. But in order for this plan to be successful, you must betray the Matron Mother. Are you willing to do this? Think carefully on your answer."
"I have no qualms about betraying the Matron Mother," replied Maiyn with ease -- Sime was impressed with how collected she managed to remain. "My dealings have been with you, and that is where my loyalty lies."
Phaere seemed to relax slightly. "Good. Then you may aid me in my plan and be rewarded accordingly once I am the new Matron Mother. First, I must tell you of the ritual. Matron plans to summon a demon of terrible power, Veldrin... one to aid the drow in our attack upon the surface elves. This is why we required the blood of the elder brain, which I acquired after your tales of slaying the illithids proved correct. To finalise the ritual, we needed an offering to appease the demon -- only the rarest, most special of gifts could be considered, and it was at great lengths that we managed to obtain the perfect thing."
Sime noticed Maiyn tensing -- it was only a tiny movement, and the thief was aware that the others would likely have not noticed anything out of the ordinary. Thankfully, Phaere was too involved in her whispered plan to pay much attention to the group body language.
"We have the eggs of a silver dragon," explained Phaere, her eyes flashing with satisfaction. "Matron Mother Ardulace plans to offer them to the demon when it appears. I intend for her to present some fakes, which I have had commissioned, and I shall have the real eggs in my possession. I will become Matron Mother, and House Despana shall become the pre-eminent of Ust Natha -- we will have opened the way for the war and summoned its most powerful warrior. And you, my darling Veldrin -- you will be rewarded for your service and loyalty." The drow paused for a moment, her eyes seeming to search Maiyn's face for any hint on what she was thinking, or how she was planning to act. Seeming to fail in her attempt to read anything from the impassive features on the girl, the drow continued. "Will you do this?"
Maiyn made no effort to hide her glances to her companions. None of them reacted in any obvious way, though Sime had slowly been picking up the small signals they all used to convey their feelings about certain situations. Xan would sigh, usually very quietly, but the sigh would be there, whenever he doubted the sense of something. If he was fine with a plan, he'd avoid eye contact, hoping, possibly, that it'd all just go away in time.
Jaheira would frown -- subconsciously, Sime thought -- whenever something displeased her. Her body would tense, the grip on her weapon increase twofold. On other occassions she would either give a very subtle nod of the head, or do as she was doing right now; looking at the ranger straight in the eye with no strong emotion on her face. Maiyn's eyes drifted to Kivan -- Sime had problems with this one. Stoic and detached in the main from the body of the group, the male ranger was the most difficult to follow in body language alone. Since they'd become transformed into drow -- something he apparently hated quite intensely -- his reactions had been even harder to work out, being that he appeared to be almost permanently agitated and angry.
When Maiyn's eyes flitted to him, however, his form relaxed slightly; his shoulders sagged a bit, his breath was slightly heavier -- not quite a sigh, however. Their leader's eyes moved on, to Sime herself, and Kivan's former stance returned with a vengeance. Sime let the barest hint of a smile cross her lips, and she was sure she could see Maiyn returning it through only her eyes. Then, 'Veldrin' returned her attention to Phaere -- the drow was looking at her most curiously -- and nodded.
"We will do as you suggest."
Phaere's hands flew together, and a wicked excitement shone from her eyes. "Wait here -- I will return with the eggs in a few moments. Do not leave the room until I return; if you are spotted by any guards unaccompanied, they will escort you to Matron Mother Ardulace, and we shall not have this opportunity again." The drow woman turned and disappeared through the door. She'd only been gone a second when Maiyn spun round to face them, talking in the quietest whisper she could manage.
"What do we do now?"
"We go ahead as planned," replied Sime, equally as quiet. "The eggs we already have can go to Phaere -- hers can go to the Matron, and we will be left with the originals. This may work out better than we'd ever hoped for."
Maiyn didn't look convinced, but Jaheira signalled for conversation to cease, and they spent the remainder of the time waiting in silence. Soon enough, the ambitious daughter of House Despana's Matron Mother had returned, a wrapped package carefully contained under her cloak. She passed it to Maiyn who immediately hid it away on her person, and Phaere nodded approvingly.
"Come with me," she said, heading back out of the room. Sime felt a feeling of butterflies in her stomach; they were surely about to head to the Matron Mother, and now they had an even riskier plan to try and fulfil than before -- however, it was in Phaere's interest to also see that the group found the real eggs, so there was the chance that there would be unlikely assistance somewhere. Sime could only hope.
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Matron Mother Ardulace was standing in the centre of the Despana Temple, flanked by two younger girls who Sime assumed to be other daughters. Their polite but cold stares to Phaere only served to confirm her suspicions, and the looks they gave the group were predatory and poisonous, full of loathing and suspicion. Ardulace, however, seemed indifferent.
She was easily as beautiful as her daughters -- to Sime's eye she didn't seem to be much older than them, though the stress of her position had led to a few lines around her eyes, and her hands were wrinkled and bony as they held onto the handle of her snake-headed whip. Xan had taken one look at it and averted his eyes; the Shadow Thief had thought he was going to be sick, but her keen eyes noticed the swiftness of Maiyn's touch on his hand -- a gentle reassurance of her presence that seemed to be enough to compose him.
They all shared Phaere's glowing red eyes, and of course, long white hair. All three wore long flowing robes, embroidered webs patterning them and sparkling gently with magic. The eldest daughter looked out of place, in comparison -- clad in leather armour as she was, she could easily have been mistaken for a family guard, were it not for the insignia embroidered on the chest of her breastplate. None had spoken sine Phaere's initial introduction of their 'guests', but Sime knew they were being keenly examined -- and something inside told her that it was not only by the three women standing before them.
As the silence went on, the thief allowed her eyes to drift around the room. An altar lay at the far end, obsidian stone and various sculptings and paintings of arachnids surrounding it. A few smaller spiders had been seen scuttling around the walls as they walked through the corridors of the dwelling -- Maiyn showing amazing self-restraint each time one made its presence clearly known. Sime wasn't sure how, exactly, Kivan had managed to succeed so well at his training with the figurine, but it had been a very good move.
To their left was an open balcony that looked over the other residencies around them. Sime could see small lights twinkling in the air -- some magical defence, perhaps, she assumed. Although she wasn't magically trained in a traditional sense, her profession had exposed her to enough elements to allow her to recognise the more basic signs -- and she could almost feel enchantments in the air as they stood there in silence.
"So... this is the amazing Veldrin and her companions, is it?" Matron Mother Ardulace's voice was low and aimed to Phaere. "I see nothing special about her. What fascinates you so?"
"Matron, she is an excellent fighter -- this is the group that destroyed the illithid city, allowing us to collect the blood we needed!" Ardulace nodded as Phaere spoke, but her eyes were fixed back on Maiyn. The ranger was looking down at her feet. "And she... she is the one that rid House Despana of its... other... problem." Phaere's voice dwindled to barely a whisper. Ardulace's eyebrow rose.
"This is that one? Illithids, gnomes... and the mighty Solaufein!" The Matron Mother snorted somewhat -- Sime wasn't sure if it was in sarcasm or disbelief. "Are you sure? To me she looks scrawny, and there is... something... odd..."
Sime saw Maiyn shift slightly.
"I am positive, matron, that she could prove of great use to you, as I have already said," replied Phaere insistently.
Ardulace smiled slowly. "I believe you may be right, my daughter," she said slowly, raising her hand as one of the girls at her side opened her mouth to speak. "The Spider Queen smiles upon us and our gamble was not wasted, for your champion provided the blood that we need."
"Matron Mother, I-"
"Silence!" Ardulace turned to face the smaller priestess at her side. "You will not speak over me, do you understand?"
"I d-do, Matron M-mother," stammered the girl in reply. "B-but you m-must remember the v-vision! Th-the sign said-"
"Enough!" Ardulace closed her eyes and waved a hand, and three guards appeared from dark recesses at the side of the temple. "Take her to see the handmaidens," the Matron commanded. "Perhaps a day under their... care will see to her disobedient streak."
Silently, the drow guards cornered the girl, herding her from the room as she shrieked. "Mother! You cannot ignore what we saw! They assemble against us, and they know we are weak with our fighters absent! Mother!"
Eventually her screams quietened, and Ardulace opened her eyes once more. Sime watched the other girl at her side. Her eyes had dropped to the ground at her mother's reaction to her sister's outburst, and though she looked worried, she appeared to no longer wish to be present. The Matron ignored her.
"The ritual may finally be begun! Despana will rule Ust Natha without question," declared Ardulace quietly. "We cannot risk being disturbed before it is completed, and now only Jhanstra and I remain to perform the rite."
"You will seal the estate?" asked Phaere.
Ardulace smiled coldly. "I will seal the city. We will begin immediately here, and I trust we will not be disturbed before the time has come." She looked over to Phaere. "You will bring the final item we need when the time comes. You know what the price of failure is."
Phaere nodded her head obediently, and ushered the group from the room, silently leading them down the corridor as guards closed the immense temple doors behind them. When they seemed to be alone, she turned to Maiyn and whispered fiercely.
"Matron Mother Ardulace's quarters are at the far side of the third level. There will be little in the way of guards, as we are heavily depleted with our forces being despatched to fight the surfacers. What resistance you face, deal with accordingly -- when I am Matron Mother you will be rewarded, and suffer no punishment for the loss of any of who get in your way."
She walked away briskly, leaving the group close to a set of dark stairs that led up, further into the estate. Sime watched as Maiyn looked over to them, then took a deep breath.
"On we go, then," the ranger said, eventually.
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Not far from the Despana estate, a drow woman was standing at a large gate, impatiently waiting for someone to arrive. She was not alone, but she ignored the creatures beside her, scanning the area for any sign of her contact. At last, he appeared.
"You have the confirmation?" she snapped. His breathing was heavy, as if he'd run the length of the grounds to reach her. She waited until he was able to speak, silently cursing his uselessness, and making a note to inform the handmaidens of the incident. They should be able to ensure his fitness was... improved.
"Our mother-"
"Matron Mother Brizra'wae" she hissed angrily. He flinched slightly.
"Matron Mother Brizra'wae has given the signal. She is in prayers with the other priestesses now, and confident that the favour of Lolth follows us this day."
The woman smiled cruelly. "Go to your station," she growled at him, watching as he scampered off to serve alongside the other male drow fighters. While most of the prominent houses in Ust Natha were weakened from sending soldiers to the surface, House Baenndar had evaded such obligations, quietly assembling their own force, waiting patiently for the moment to strike.
The moment had come -- the House in their target was much more powerful than them, and the risk they were prepared to take was great -- but the reward they'd reap from Lolth alone if they were successful, was immense.
Quietly she used her hands, waving them around in complex drow signals to the other drow within sight. When she was sure the message was being passed on, and the ranks were ready, she opened the gates, murmuring the words to create her first orb of darkness. Many more would follow.
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Creeping around the home of a powerful drow family was not as hard as Maiyn had expected it to be, apart from the fact that there seemed to be an abundance of spiders around of varying sizes -- thankfully, however, she'd encountered none of pet-size, and Kivan's careful, but intense, training in the svirfneblin village was working a treat. Of course, Xan's resist fear spell was also useful...
They made it to the third floor without encountering any guards or drawing undue attention towards themselves. They were halfway down the first corridor when Maiyn stiffened, holding out her hand to stop the others, then slowly pointing ahead, just past the bend in the passage. Two guards stood alert outside a pair of heavy looking doors. Quietly, the party arranged themselves, ensuring their weapons and components were within easy reach, while Sime carefully applied a substance from one of her many vials to an arrow. Maiyn watched intently -- she knew Sime had poisons in her possessions, but the girl had never suggested using them before, and so the ranger had no chance to see what they looked like. In her prayers to Fenmarel, the voice that sometimes came towards her -- the one she assumed he provided to guide her -- had spoken of natural venoms, capable of taking down enemies with subtelty and guile. She'd always shied away from gathering such knowledge; partly due to her own unease over her heritage, and the temptation that might grow if she were to so easily learn another way of killing someone.
The Shadow Thief notched up her arrow and took aim, and Jaheira and Maiyn tensed themselves, ready to move forward. The arrow whooshed past, striking the furthest away guard, and the ranger and druid leapt at the one closest, striking viciously with their weapons until he fell to the ground too. Maiyn then approached the poisoned drow -- his eyes were rolling and his mouth foaming as he lay there, trying to find some strength in his rapidly diminishing vitality to wrench the arrow from him. Without a word she brought her sword down heavily, driving it through his chest. She told herself it was to end his suffering, but the action brought about a rush in her, stronger than she'd ever experienced before and she felt dizzy. She staggered slightly as she tried to pull her sword free, leaning into Jaheira as the druid offered her support.
"You are not yourself," the half-elf whispered.
Maiyn shook her head, forcing herself steady and moving to the doors. She beckoned Xan and Sime over, watching as both examined the area for traps, both magical and not, while Jaheira and Kivan hid the bodies in a small alcove. Xan let off a few dispelling cantrips which in turn made visible a few snares that Sime was easily able to deal with. After a painstaking few minutes had passed, both drew back and nodded. Maiyn took a deep breath, and cautiously opened the door.
Matron Mother Ardulace's bedroom was neat and sparse. A large black quilted bed lay in the middle of the room, luxurious and opulent. A few chests lay against one wall, and a small shrine to Lolth was located beside another balcony. Xan moved over to it, immediately shaking his head forlornly.
"There are wards over it," he muttered. "We cannot get out this way, even if there was a safe way to the ground."
Maiyn sighed, turning to see how Sime was getting on. Jaheira and Kivan had remained outside, closing the door after the three went in. If anyone passed, they could pass as guards on duty unless they were closely inspected. It was a slow process for Sime to go through all the possible locations for the eggs, despite the lack of furniture. With Xan's help, she managed to unlock all the drawers and cupboards on obvious display, revealing nothing. The bed was searched, then a careful examination of the walls was performed, with Xan casting a spell of true sight to momentarily bring about any distortions. It was enough to show that one of the walls was completely fake, and sure enough, the party managed to move through the illusion easily. In the wall beyond, Sime located a tiny button, which when relieved of all traps, was flicked to reveal a tiny secret alcove just below it.
Sime quickly removed the eggs from it, passing them to Maiyn, and then placing Phaere's replications within. Quickly, the thief reversed the process she'd gone through, ensuring that nothing was out of place, and everything was returned to how it had been. It was only when they were leaving that the thief cried out in dismay.
Maiyn turned to see a look of dismay on her face. "What is it?"
Silently, Sime pointed to a few strands of silk that were fluttering in the air, attached to one of the walls where the illusionary wall was meant to join. Directly across from them, at the same point on the opposing wall, was another set of broken strands. The missing parts were hanging limply from Xan's robe. He groaned.
Maiyn closed her eyes. It had been too easy -- far too easy. But this was not a trap they could fix... or was it? She quickly dragged the others from the room, exchanging them for Kivan. Quickly she explained to him what had happened, and stammered as she made her request from him. With only the faintest trace of a smile, he pulled the black figurine from his belongings, and pushed it gently into her hands. A pat to the shoulder followed, then he was gone, leaving her to face her biggest challenge to date.
She sighed, placing the statue on the ground, and using the words she'd learnt from him to invoke it into life. Slowly it grew, faster and faster until it was almost as tall as she, barely managing to fit into the space between the bed and the wall. It moved, chittering as it waited for a command from its mistress. Maiyn gulped, then took a deep breath, and explained what she needed. Some more chittering, and then gently passed her as it got to work.
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Sime watched Maiyn slip from the room, passing the figurine back to Kivan and nodding. The group moved back towards the stairs as a unit, carefully keeping an eye out for any other presence. The few guards they came across were easily avoided -- there seemed to be an air of distraction around them which did nothing but aid the party's progress. They'd almost got back to the staircase beside the Despana temple when a figure appeared beside them. Quietly, Maiyn handed over the fake eggs that Solaufein had given them, and Sime's heart almost stopped as she watched the drow examine them. Thankfully, the female seemed to be appeased with the gift, and Phaere led the group back down to the lower floor, leaving them outside the chamber she'd initially used to converse with them.
"The ritual should not take much longer," she explained, "but I have some things I need to see to, first. Wait here -- Matron Mother Ardulace wishes you to be present as we take our rightful place as the first family of Ust Natha." She walked away, leaving them alone in the hall of the building. Maiyn drew the group together, and spoke in a whisper.
"We should make a run for it now," she suggested. Jaheira shook her head.
"We cannot, child."
Maiyn either didn't notice the use of the term she hated so much, or it wasn't very important at that time; instead she raised an eyebrow, waiting for Jaheira to explain herself. It was Xan who filled her in.
"The Matron Mother has sealed the city," he explained patiently to the ranger. "This means no one can get in, preventing any chance of an outsider disrupting their plans. But... it also means no one can get out."
Maiyn swore and Jaheira scowled, causing Kivan to smile faintly. "What can break the seal?" Sime found herself asking.
Xan looked dour. "The death of the caster," he said quietly.
Sime's mind went into overdrive. She nodded to him, then spoke quickly and urgently. "The Matron Mother is alone with only one priestess performing the ritual -- soon we will be summoned there, and the demon will not be pleased to realise its sacrifice is absent."
"Can we not slip out while it's tearing the drow apart?" asked Maiyn rather hopefully.
"Do you want to rely on the possibility it will turn on them and not us?" asked Sime. Maiyn shook her head. "Then I suggest you wait here -- you can see the glow around the city from the seal, now, can you not?" Xan nodded to her, looking out the open porch to the darkness outside. She knew he, at least, would be able to pick up the faint traces. "I will go up and infiltrate the temple. I am sure I can assassinate the Matron before she notices -- when you notice the seal falling, flee to the gates. I will... follow."
Maiyn stared at her, dumbstruck. "There is no way-"
Sime hushed her. "No -- there is not enough time to argue," she hissed, pushing them closer to the main door. "Be ready to go -- take the chance if I can provide it for you." The thief turned before anyone else could speak, darting up the stairs with stealth and caution, heading instinctively towards the temple, using her memory of the route from before to guide her. She ducked to avoid passing guards, and used every ounce of wile that she had, only requiring to backstab one drow on her travels. Before long, the temple doors lay before her, at the end of a fairly short passage.
Four guards stood guarding it, and Sime didn't hesitate to pull a potion from her pack, drinking the contents in one go. A few moments later and she was satisfied that the effects were fully in place. She slipped from her hiding, padding silently between the drow and over to the door, the magical aura around her making her both invisible, and immune to detection. She waited until they were all facing away from the temple entrance, and opened the door a fraction, slipping inside and closing it behind her.
Ardulace and her daughter were kneeling before the altar, bowed over in deep prayer to their goddess as Sime cautiously crept over to them. She pulled her dagger free from her belt -- her father had given it to her, one of the finest magical weapons he'd picked up on his travels. It had never let her down -- its blade had seen the death of government officials, cowled wizards, merchants and traitorous thieves alike. And now it would bring down the most impressive of them all. She drew her hand back and plunged the knife down, feeling the blade drive into the flesh of the woman with satisfaction. The aggressive action immediately whipped the protections of her potion from her, revealing her presence, and leaving her vulnerable in the temple as Ardulace's gargling scream echoed around. Nimbly, Sime leapt aside as the heads of the daughter's whip snaked towards her, doubling back so she could retrieve her dagger and face off against her only remaining foe.
A small surge of confidence passed through Sime's veins -- the tinge in the air outside that had appeared after Ardulace had mentioned the magical seal had gone with her death, and now she only had to survive her rather frightened looking daughter's attacks. For a moment, she was positive she'd escape and meet her companions at the city gates, ready to leave this accursed place forever.
Then the doors to the temple flew open, and the four drow guards stormed in, weapons drawn.